Black Ice
by Nightingale127
Summary: Pitch finds a way to recruit Jack Frost, with terrible results. Jack Frost now reigns supreme as the King of Fear, and Guardians have to stop him before he coats the world in black ice. The only way to stop him is to find the new Guardian before Jack does, before he uses her to destroy the Guardians. This girl is from Jack's foggy past, is she the key to remembering everything.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One  
"How dare you, you walking Icicle?" The Easter Bunny towered over his adversary. Yes, the Easter Bunny is not small, and, yes, he has adversaries. And yes, he's real.

"What'cha gonna do, Kangaroo?" I joked, grinning mischievously, "Hide a boiled egg in my backyard?"

The Easter Bunny goes by Bunnymund, and he is not fond of jokes about his Australian accent. Bunnymund towered over most people he met, even Mr. North himself, if you count the ears. He has bluish-gray fur, and carries boomerangs and egg-grenades.

And who am I? Jack Frost. I have the ability to wield ice and fly through the skies with my wooden staff. My main goal in life is to have fun, which fits in the job description perfectly. Grinning, I flicked Bunnymund's nose and flew up in the air, just barely out of the rabbit's reach.

"No fighting, boys!" the Tooth Fairy scolded, flitting high over our heads anxiously.

"Where's North? It's odd for him to be late when he's in his own workshop" she muttered. She ducked as one of the elves' failed toy planes launched through the air.

So why are the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and Jack Frost congregated at the North Pole?  
We are members of the Guardians; a group that protects the children who still believe in them. Each Guardian protects something essential to children; Tooth guards Memories, Bunnymund guards Hope, and I guard Fun.

"Say, where's Sandy too?" I inquired, ignoring Bunnymund's unrelenting glare.

"We're right here" North announced, entering the workshop. North wore a bright red coat with a fuzzy black hat and thick black boots. Like the stories and songs performed all through December, he has hair as white as snow and cheeks as red as Rudolph's nose. North, a.k.a. Santa Claus, is the Guardian of Wonder and Inspiration. Following behind him is Sandy, also known as Sandman, Guardian of Dreams. If left alone, he can doze off on the spot. Sandy's a pretty quiet guy, and, as far as I know, he's made of golden sand.

"Sorry, I had to run an errand" North announced, "A reindeer escaped during a ride around India. Talk about being stuck in the pickle"

"There's the fat man himself" Bunnymund teased since I was out of reach, literally.

"Why did you call us together so close to Christmas, North?" Tooth Fairy asked, "It's unlike you"

"I know" he replied, "So you all know what I have to say may be more important than Christmas"

Bunnymund stood still with his mouth gaping. Sandy woke from his power nap, completely awake and looking as if he were about to have a heart attack. I would've looked the same way, but I was a bit occupied; Tooth stopped flying, she was so shocked, and fell into my arms.

"Oh calm down, it's nothing terrible!" he assured us, "Man in Moon has good news!"

As if on cue, the skylight opened, revealing the moon, full and bright in the night sky. The moonlight pour down, enveloping everyone in the blue light. Man in Moon, or Mim for short, is sort of our Commander in Chief. He warns us of new dangers to the world and recruits Guardians. No one knows what he looks like, or who he really is. My guess is that he's stuck on the moon, or he could be the actual moon.

In the middle of the ground, a device came out from a trapdoor steadily, whirring and clicking excitedly.

"Oh my!" Tooth flew out of my arms, flitting about excitedly again.

"What's going on?" I inquired. While everyone else looked excited, I felt confused as an odd pang of loneliness struck me, a first in several years.

"Something that hasn't happened since you came" Bunnymund replied, "A new Guardian is coming"  
"Wait a second" I said, ducking as Tooth shot past my head, squealing excitedly, "I thought new Guardians only come when the world is in danger or something"

"Yes, that is true" North admitted, stroking his beard worriedly. Sandy frowned at the whirring machine as it began to glow.

"Man in Moon, is there a threat somewhere?" he asked, "Is Pitch back?"

Bunnymund scoffed, twirling his boomerang on one fluffy finger.

"Pitch is not a major threat, not anymore" he said confidently.

"Can you be so sure?" North inquired, glaring at the Easter Bunny.

"Hush, guys, it's starting!" Tooth exclaimed, "Please let it be a girl!"

"Anyone but that Groundhog" Bunnymund begged.

"What do you have against the guy?" I asked.

"First off, it's a lassie, not a lad" Bunnymund said, "And second off it's very complicated"

"_Complicated?_" I repeated, "Oh, look who's on the naughty list!"

"N-Nothing like that!" Bunnymund argued, his face paled so terribly that he didn't even have a retort.

Suddenly, Tooth squealed, her voice echoing throughout the workshop.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, "Honestly, there's too much testosterone in this group; can't take another fella"

"A girl?" Bunnymund inquired.

"Down, boy" I teased, and stepped forward to get a better look. I paused as she captured my gaze, feeling rooted to the spot.

The New Guardian has skin as brown as cocoa, and fierce green eyes that made her look like an Amazonian warrior. She carried a sheathed sword at her hip, and a bow and quiver slung across her back. The girl wore a white long-sleeved shirt, brown trousers, and black boots. For some odd reason, she felt familiar, but that's not possible. Tooth showed me my past a long time ago.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Tooth asked, "You look paler than normal"

"Huh?" I said, as if waking from a dream.

"You look shocked" Tooth said, placing her tiny hand on my shoulder. Her worried gaze made me strangely feel bad for staring at the hologram.

"It's nothing" I assured her, placing my hand on hers. Tooth blushed and pulled away, studying her fingernails intently.

"_Her name is Ciara Ambrose" _Mim explained. It's hard to explain how he communicates with us; something to do with the moonlight and telepathy.

_"She has incredible power." _Mom _explained, "Dangerous power if found in the wrong hands"_

"Dangerous? How so?" North inquired. The image on the machined changed, and a hologram of a globe appeared, except the world was shrouded in darkness.

"That's got to be Pitch's handiwork" I muttered bitterly. We all have a bad history with Pitch Black. He's the King of Fear; he reigned supreme in the world, until the Guardians were formed. About ten years ago, he tried to wipe us out for good and take the world by force, but he failed. Pitch hasn't been seen since then.

"Let's get that rat before he can even form the idea" Bunnymund said, balling his fists.

"_No"_ Mim warned, "_Find the girl, protect her"_

As he said this, the moonlight moved to the giant globe in the workshop, the light shrinking until it was on dot.

"He's right, we need to find our new Guardian and train her" North agreed, turning to the globe.

The light hovered just below Florida, in the Pacific. North's face fell almost immediately, and the situation seemed even more grim.

"Where is he pointing?" Tooth inquired, "Does she live in the ocean? Is she a mermaid?"

"Wait, since when do mermaids exist?" I asked.  
"No" North replied heavily, "She is trapped"

The mood of the entire room darkened.

Tooth instantly deflated, landing back down onto Earth.

"Can somebody tell me what's going on?" I asked, exasperated.

"She's in the Bermuda Triangle" Bunnymund explained.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_**Jack**_

"She's in the Bermuda Triangle" Bunnymund explained, "It's a mystery to mortals and us Guardians. Those who enter are never seen again"

"How in the world did she end up there?" I wondered aloud. Why am I so unsettled by just looking at an image of her? I spare a glance at her piercing green eyes, then her weapons, How did she become like this, a warrior in the Bermuda? The ceiling closed on Mim and the image disappeared, the device sinking back into the ground.

"Alright Guardians" North announced, "We will head to the Triangle by reindeer"  
"Oh no" Bunnymund groaned, already turning green at the thought of flying. I was too focused to even take a jab at the vulnerable bunny.

"Why don't we split up?" I suggested, "Pitch is obviously a threat to the earth again, so we should stop him before he goes after her"

"No" North said firmly, "Mim said not to, so we need to have faith and find the girl. She will help us together"

I conceded. It makes sense the way he puts it, I'm just antsy after the news.

We all loaded up into North's sleigh, although it took some coercing to get Bunnymund on the sleigh.

"This is a death trap" Bunnymund exclaimed as Tooth tried to soothe him. This went on for several minutes until I snapped "We don't have time for this"

Tooth flinched and Bunnymund shot me a glare before silently hopping into the sleigh.

"Someone's a snapping turtle tonight" North laughed aloud, lessening the tension a little.

Tooth and I flew to the side of the sleigh waiting for North to open the portal..

"So, have you had anymore memories return?" Tooth asked shyly.

"No" I sighed, "I remember my sister, but no one else has come to mind"

Although, maybe that girl is someone from my past. I shake my head. No way she could be, she's far from my original home.

"Sorry, it must be hard" she said, bringing me back to earth, "I wish I could help"

"It's okay" I say, placing a hand on her shoulder, "My teeth showed me important memories, so one day the rest will follow"

Tooth smiled, placing her hand over his. She's always warm, even when we're flying around at the north pole.

The portal opens and we begin to pass through when dark sand begins to form around the edges.

"Turn back!" North shouts, turning his beloved reindeer from danger as the portal is covered by a layer of darkness. Tooth and I swerve out of the way just in time, and Sandy went from napping on a cloud to brandishing his trademark whips.

"Show yourself, Pitch!" I shouted, ready to end this fight with him before it began. Laughs echo across the frozen tundra when suddenly black tendrils snap up from the ground and pull North's sleigh down. We rush to cut them away, only to face even more tendrils. Even Sandy was overwhelmed by the attack.

"Stand back!" I warn everyone before pointing my staff at the source. In seconds the entire structure is frozen solid.

"Someone's been practicing I see" North exclaimed.

"Every now and then" I reply playfully, twirling my staff in my hand. Suddenly Tooth erupts into screaming as a new pit of darkness drags her to it.

"No!" I cried out, flying at neck breaking speed and blasting the source again, The ice kept breaking off and dragging her in faster.

"It's feeding off of your fear, Tooth!" I shout, but she's not listening. It's like she can't see me flying towards her. In a last ditch effort, I swung my staff at the tendrils holding Tooth. They easily break off of her and I catch her in my arms. As I turn to fly away, the tendrils wrap around my ankles, dragging me and Tooth down again. As Sandy approaches, I toss Tooth towards him to catch and tried to cut away the tendrils. They stayed wrapped around me firmly. Why had it been so easy to cut Tooth out?

"It's a trap" I realize as the darkness encircles me.

_**Tooth**_

"Jack!" I scream as I see his fearful face looking up at me. I hurtle towards him, only to be repelled back by more dark tendrils. It's my fault, I should have calmed down and freed myself. We all circled around the orb that consumed Jack, striking it and prying at it, only to be repelled.

"It's no use" a cold voice cuts through the winter breeze, "Jack will eventually leave the orb, but he will never be the same"

"You!" I shouted, launching myself at the tall smug figure. Pitch didn't even flinch as I grabbed him by the collar.

"What did you do?" I screamed, "I'll pry every tooth from your mouth until you talk"

A flash of fear passed through his eyes, only for a moment though.

"I borrowed a little spell from an old friend" He explained, then struck me away from him. Before I could attack again, Sandy held up an arm in front of me and shook his head. I looked at Pitch again. He's different; stronger, and more unstable it seems.

"The new Jack that exits the orb will join forces with me to cover the world in cold and darkness, just like the old days" Pitch continued, "Don't worry, he'll remember you all as he destroys each of you"

"Jack would never do that, no matter what overtakes him" North argued, "He wouldn't ever take anyone's life, like the rest of us"

"Yes the _old_ Jack wouldn't" Pitch mused. Suddenly, the orb started flashing spurts of blue light.

"Jack is fighting!" Bunnymund crowed, "He'll break free, you stupid scarecrow"

The flashes stop, then suddenly the darkness evaporates, leaving a block of black ice hovering in the air,

"That's not supposed to happen" Pitch shouted angrily, "What did the fool do?"

"_You thought I would become a puppet for you to control"_ Jack's voice echoed around us, "_Thanks to you, Pitch, I've ascended. Take a look at the new King of Darkness"_

The ice cracked and broke apart, now hovering around Jack. His hair is now black as night, and black sand swirled around his body like Pitch to create clothes. The most fearful thing are his eyes. Jack's mischievous blue eyes were replaced with calculating yellow eyes.

"Jack?" I say tentatively. His eyes flash towards me, and in an instant he hovers in front of me.

"Tooth" he murmured, bringing a cold hand to my face, "You should run. Now"

"What?" I stutter, confused by his touch. Sure, we occasionally touch shoulders to comfort our comrades, but this was more intimate. As quickly as he came, Jack disappeared, and Pitch screamed. We look up to see black ice protruding from Pitch's body as he fell down to us. Sandy caught Pitch's limp body and I notice Jack turned towards us again.

"Open a portal under us, now!" I shout to North. Startled out of his shock, North obliges, and we all fall in just as black ice is hurtled towards us.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! I'd like to thank my readers who have left positive, constructive reviews! This site is the first time I've put and writing out for the public to see. This chapter is a bit longer than the previous ones, so I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 3

Tooth

The reindeers panicked as the ground left them and didn't take flight as the sleigh plummeted towards the ocean. I worked to calm North's reindeer as Sandy steadied North's sleigh. The reindeer's began to hover just above the ocean waters.

"Let me go!" North boomed. I tensed and turned to see Bunnymund clinging to North's arm for dear life. Normally, I would laugh with Jack at them. I looked around and saw we were surrounded by miles of ocean. Some small islands could be seen at a distance, but other than that there was no sign of the mainland. The moon hung over us lighting the ocean waves.

"North, where did you take us?" I question him.

"Where we needed to go" he replies, "Although I don't know why we ended up outside of the triangle" North studied a holographic map with furrowed brows.

"How do you know this is the triangle?" Bunnymund said, "All I see is miles of ocean" A loud horn noise directed our attention to Sandy, who was hovering around Pitch. Pitch laid unresponsive on a dreamsand cloud, the shard of ice still protruding from him. I flew to them and checked for a pulse. It's weak, but still there. Pitch was shivering terribly and his breaths were unsteady. Studying the shard, I reached to touch it when Sandy yanked my hand back. He gave me an are you joking look.

"You're right, we don't know what this ice does if you touch it" I replied, "What do you suggest then?" Sandy shrugged in response, his usually calm expression lined with worry.

"I know he was once a good friend" I said, "We'll do what we can to help him, just try to keep him warm." Sandy nodded and a golden blanket materialized around Pitch.

"Let's keep moving, there should be land in the center of the triangle" North said, "Maybe we can melt the ice once we land and then close his wounds" As North urged his deers forward, a man appeared in front of North's reindeer, spooking them away from our original course.

"Who are you?" North demanded, brandishing his swords. The man looked at him unamused with arms crossed. His bald head shone in the moonlight like he had been polishing it previously. He wore weathered trousers and a white shirt over his muscular arms and legs.

"Congratulations, you're the first to be able to see me and heed this warning" he announced, "I guard the Bermuda. If you cross the barrier, you will lose your memories and live out the rest of your days on the islands"

"What has happened to mortals who weren't able to 'heed your warning'?" Bunnymund demanded, his arms crossed reflecting the Bermuda guardian.

"For mortals, a dangerous storm forms near the border. The foolish ones that manage to pass the storm lose their memories and usually don't return home" the guardian replied.

"We're the Guardians of Childhood" I say, hovering in front of the guardian. He looks at me unimpressed, but I could've sworn I saw a flicker in his eyes.

"We're here to recruit a new Guardian, Ciara Ambrose. Without her the world will be covered in cold and fear" I stress to him. He looks at each of us, until his brown eyes fall on Pitch.

"Why do you bring the Nightmare King here?" he demanded, now on edge, "He is not allowed to pass" What did Pitch do to offend this passive person?

"He's not our favorite person, but he's seriously hurt. We can't in good conscience leave him to die" I said. For the first time, the guardian's expression softened. He sighed in defeat.

"Fine, your intentions are clear. " he said, raising a hand, "I will give each of you a mark that allows you to pass through with your memories intact. The one you're searching for can help your friend"

A silver armband appeared on each of our forearms and we quickly passed through. From the inside the border is opaque and blurry, forming a large triangle that spans miles upwards. In the very center sat a solitary island covered in palm trees and other greenery. Soon we made it to the island and North parked his reindeer on the shore.  
"It's much larger close up" I marvelled at the island, "Maybe we should split up"

"Great idea Toothiana" North said cheerily. Even in the face of hopelessness North can still put a smile on his face. Bunnymund and I took the west side, and North and Sandy the east side, taking Pitch with them, who now was covered in a protective box. Sandy and I will fly to alert the other pair if we find Ciara. As Bunnymund and I trekked through the tropical forest, I thought back to Jack's reaction to seeing the new guardian's image. I had almost missed it in my excitement of having another girl on the team. He was shocked and confused. It hurts me that he didn't want to share when I asked him, but it's also understandable that he doesn't want to jump to conclusion. But what if she is someone from his past? What will happen to us when Jack finally remembers? I'm startled by that last thought; Jack and I are friends, comrades, nothing else.

"You're awfully quiet" Bunnymund said, returning me to the present.

"I'm just thinking about Jack" I admitted, not telling him the full truth. I need to focus on the present so we can get Jack back.

"Honestly, I've never been that terrified, Tooth" Bunnymund replied, "This tops even our battle against Pitch a decade ago" I tensed at this. Bunnymund is right, but I still don't like it.

"Pitch cursed him, and curses can be lifted" I determined, "We can help Jack and save the world"  
"I don't know how you can believe that when we saw what he did" Bunnymund said.

"You know what, I'm going to fly above and see if I can spot anything" I said abruptly, Bunnymund began to protest when suddenly the a light flashed before us. Before we could react, vines wrapped around us tightly and strung us upside down. Bunnymund swore like a sailor and struggle against the vines when a figure approached us. A young woman with fiery red hair and a hardened expression approached pointing two arrows at us.

Ciara

I knew to expect more people to come after the last "visitor" that arrived on the island, but I never expected such an odd group to arrive. A large bearded man wearing red drove a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer with a tall bunny-man holding the railings in a death grip. The sleigh was a bright red with gold designs ornamenting it. I have to admit it was enchanting to see the graceful deers land on the shore. A woman covered in bright feathers landed with a golden man. Her feathers covered her entire body and looked like a dress, and on her back she had wings similar to that of a hummingbird. The golden man had a short stature and a wide, sullen face. Trailing behind him was a sort of box large enough to carry a body. I stayed hidden in the treeline along the shore, straining to listen to the group. They split up, the large man and golden man heading east, and the feathered woman and bunny-man heading west. I decided to follow the pair heading west. The feathered woman looked distracted, which would make it all the easier to trap them both. I won't make the same mistake as a month ago.

A month back, I was heading back to my hut when I realized the door was ajar as I walked up. I unsheathe my sword and entered the hut to find a dark figure studying the walls of my hut.

"What lovely doodles" the man murmured before turning towards me. The moment he turned I was across the room with a sword against his throat.

"Who are you?" I demanded, "How did you even find this place?"

"All you need to know is that I'm here for you" he said, staring at me with intense gold and silver eyes, "I'm a part of a group known as the Guardians and I'm here to get you off the island" I hesitated before sheathing my sword again, keeping my hand on the hilt.  
"You have powers, do you not?" he asked curiously, "Why would you fight with such mundane weapons"

"Why rely on powers?" I countered. His eyes twinkled with amusement.

I don't know much about myself, but I'm sure I wasn't born with these abilities. I woke up on this island around three centuries ago with no memories.

"Well, if you have any belongings, pack them up and we'll take our leave to the Guardian's headquarters" he said, and as he spoke a black horse appeared outside the hut. The horse had an unsettling stare that sent shivers down my spine. He hasn't even told me his name.

"Why are you doing this?" I questioned. The man's eyes flashed in annoyance, like he was in a hurry. Another act that made me more suspicious.

"Like I said, girl, the Guardians sent me" he said beckoning for me to come. I planted my feet firmly and gripped the hilt of my sword tightly. The man narrowed his eyes, but otherwise looked relaxed.

"No one else sent you?" I asked again.

"The Guardians sent for you" he repeated gruffly, "Let's go"

"I don't know who you are, but I know you're lying" I retorted. Before I could unsheathe my sword I felt something grainy trap my hand. Black sand had trapped both my hands and wrapped around my ankles. The man sauntered over calmly and cupped my chin with his hand.

"I was hoping to have you come willingly, but-" Light flashes, and he was launched backwards into his horse. The black sand dissolved from my glowing hands and I marched to the doorway. The man rose up, dark sand swirling around him.

"Wrong move, girl. I can make your worst nightmares come to life" he sneered, only to be blasted back again.

"You were saying?" I replied, "How did you of all people get past the Bermuda guardian without losing memories?" As if he had heard his title being spoken, the guardian appeared, not even sparing me a glance. The only correspondence we had was when I attempted to escaped and hit the barriers of this mysterious place.

"Nightmare King, give me a reason not to erase your memories" he said, arms crossed as usual. The supposed king shot black sand at the guardian and flew off to wherever he had snuck in.

"Mages" the guardian scoffed before disappearing, leaving me alone and confused.

"Always nice to see you" I muttered.

The pair shared a tense conversation, and I saw my moment to strike when the feathered woman began to take flight. I sent a blast of pure white light between them, causing the feathered woman and bunny-man to raise their arms in surprise. I shoot an arrow to set off a trap, one of many I placed on the island since the last intrusion. Vines wrapped around them and strung them upside down above me. I strung two arrows and held my bow horizontally as I stepped into the clearing. They both stared at me in shock, as if they recognized me.

"Ciara Ambrose!" the feathered woman exclaimed, smile brightly at me with the straightest, whitest teeth I've ever seen.

"We've been looking for you" the bunnyman joined in, smiling from ear to ear. Do they know me from the past? I pushed that hope down and kept a neutral expression.

"Let me guess, you're both Guardians too?" I asked, The pair shared a confused look.

"Yes" the feathered woman, "Though none of the Guardians have been to this place before now. Did someone come here before us? Who was it?"

"Yep, I didn't catch his name as he attacked me and escaped, so you shouldn't fault me for being a little more cautious about who I believe" I replied.

"We're not here to hurt you or make any decisions for you, but we do need your help" the feathered woman replied, "My name is Toothiana, and this is Bunnymund. We're members of the Guardians of Childhood."

"How did you know to find me?" I asked.

"The Man in the Moon directed us here" Toothiana explained, "He has guided us to new Guardians since the beginning" I gaped at her in shock. They have to be the real deal, at least I hope they are.

"Okay, let's say I believe you" I mused, "Why do you need me? Shouldn't you guys have this Guardian job all figured out?"

"The world changes as time passes by, Ciara" Bunnymund explained, "As the world changes we need a fresh new perspective"

"I doubt you'd need someone who's been stuck here for three centuries, but I'll bite" I replied before releasing the arrows above them. Toothiana steadied herself, and Bunnymund fell on his head.

"Care to give a warning before you do that?" he groaned.

"I thought bunnies always land on their feet" I shrugged.

"That's cats"

"Oh. tragic,"

I led them back to my hut to find the rest of their group already there. The golden man-Sandy-leaped up from his seated position near the golden box and dashed towards me at breakneck speed. I reached to draw my sword then stopped myself when I saw his pleading expression. Tooth mentioned on our way over that Sandy doesn't really talk, he uses symbols and facial expressions to communicate. He grabbed my hand and tugged me towards the box. I froze when I came upon the face of my previous attacker.

"Him?" I hissed, making Sandy flinch in surprise. I winced at the large black shard protruding from his chest. How is he still breathing? He looked more ashen than his gray skin already was and he was shivering.

"You know him?" the large man-North-inquired.

"Yeah, he tried to take me off the island a month ago" I said, arms crossed as I turned to the group. They looked shocked by my statement, so it's likely they didn't know his whereabouts up until now.

"He claimed to be with you, is this true?" I demanded.

"No, Pitch has been an enemy for the longest time" Tooth explained, "He used to be Sandy's old friend, but that was ages ago. We're not in the business of letting people die though, can you help him?"

"Fine" I said, still skeptical. I raised my hands over Pitch's wound and closed my eyes as my hands began to glow. This light is different than when I'm using my magic to attack; it's softer, warmer. I hear the guardians gasp and a shuffle near me as I reach for the ice shard..

"Don't interrupt me" I warn, "He's freezing from the inside out along with having this ice in his chest" The shuffles stop and I melt away the ice inside and protruding from Pitch's wound, and then heal the wound. I open my eyes and see the usual white scar that happens when I heal wounds. I have a couple from minor scrapes I've gotten from exploring the island.

"That was amazing" Tooth breathed, and I turn to see four shocked faces now close behind me. Before I can reply, a hand grips my hair and yanks me back.

"You are coming with me" Pitch sneered. Rolling my eyes, I throw an elbow back, making PItch fall backwards onto his golden bed.

"You're a little bit too weak right now to be a threat" I warned, "These people are the reason I brought you back to the brink of death. Don't think I'll do it twice" Holding his gut, PItch paled and look at his surroundings. I stood carefully, trying hard not to show that healing him took a lot out of me too.

"I'm not giving any information on my little curse if that's why you did this" he said, sitting up and crossing his arms at the Guardians. A curse? Is that curse the reason Pitch got injured? When I was checking to see the full damage Pitch experienced, the ice felt unnatural and unsettling.

"We helped you because that's what we do" North countered, "But, we also do need information" Pitch scoffed, and Tooth nearly leaped onto him with fists balled up.

"You know, Jack knows of this location and could be here at any moment" she warned, "What would happen if we leave you here, alive and well?" Pitch's already ashen face paled even more at the thought. He knows he doesn't have the energy to leave this island alone. I stared at this small, cheery woman in shock. These people are tough when they want to be. Pitch's demeanor quickly changed however. He smiled, flashing white teeth that contrasted with his gray skin and.

"You seem to have accepted Jack's change well, Tooth" he mused, "Are you having a pull to the dark side so to say" That's when Tooth flew at him and knocked him on his butt. I stood at attention when I heard the name Jack again. Why does he sound familiar? Who is he to these people?

"We will lift the curse you put on him, one way or another" Toothiana growled, "You need to decide if you want the easy way or the hard way" I quickly stood and headed inside my hut for a moment. It was a simple home, sufficient for keeping me warm and dry. It had a table, chair, and a cot, and some baskets holding various items.

"Are you alright?" Bunnymund had followed me, and now was gaping at the walls of my hut. After building the hut, I carved drawings into the walls to pass the time. Once the walls were covered, I turned to carving into flattened pieces of bark and placing them into a weaved basket. It was a way to keep the loneliness out when it became too much.

"Whoa, you had a lot of time on your hands, didn't you" he said, studying each drawing intently on the walls. I'm glad I was turned away from him because I was blushing hard. No one-besides Pitch, but he doesn't count-had ever seen my drawings, and I don't know how to accept Bunnymund's praise. I search through the basket until I found what I had been looking for. Years ago, I had woken up late at night and started drawing a person walking through a forest of pine trees in a fog. The only clear feature was his eyes, piercing through the fog straight at me. I didn't finish it because it became painful to look at for some reason. I traced the outline of the boy's face and set the drawing back in the basket, closing the lid.

"Yeah, I've had more free time than anyone could want" I said dryly. North popped in through the single doorway, making us both jump.

"We have a location, let's head out," he said, his once stern face now overly cheery again. Sandy carried North, Bunnymund, and I on a golden chariot and Pitch followed the group in golden chains that Sandy held onto.

"So, who is Jack?" I asked after finally mustering up the courage to. Every Guardian tensed up and averted my gaze.

"He's a fellow Guardian" Tooth replied, still not looking me in the eyes.

"Why isn't he here then?" I pressed.

"He's been cursed by that bastard back there," he explained, "From what Pitch has said, the curse strengthened his dark side to an overwhelming level"

"So, it didn't take away his good side altogether" I stated. This took away some of the weight in each Guardian's expression as they took in what I said, North patted me on the shoulder, causing me to lurch forward.

"You are very optimistic, that's definitely needed in times like this" he said smiling down on me. I wasn't really trying to be optimistic, only stating facts. The curse did nothing to affect Jack's light side. I wanted to ask more about Jack, but I could tell that no one wanted to talk about him right then. We reached North's sleigh, and the first thing I notice is the large globe with several twinkling lights all over.

"Those are children who believe in us" North explained, "As long as they believe, we stay strong enough to protect them."

"Interesting" I murmured. A sort of give and take relationship.

I halted my train of thought as the reindeers rose and North pulled out a small glass ball containing water, little white flecks, and glitter? He saw me staring curiously and held it out for me to examine. Inside the glass ball was a scene of a grand castle-like structure with the same red/gold design as his sleigh.

"This is a special snowglobe" North explained, "I can take us anywhere. I usually use them on my rounds for Christmas Eve" I stared in shock, realizing how dumb I was. Snow globes, a sleigh pulled by reindeer, plus a large jolly man.

"You're Santa Claus" I murmured, and looked at each Guardian. Toothiana is the Tooth Fairy, Bunnymund is the Easter bunny, and Sandy is the Sandman. The name Guardians of Childhood suits them. It's funny how I don't remember the details of my own life, but general information is easier to come by when it's needed.

Bunnymund and I stepped into North's sleigh as he was adjusting straps holding the reindeer. Bunnymund seemed to be in a state of panic.

"Are you afraid of flying?" I asked.

"Don't be ridiculous!" he sputtered, clinging to the rails tightly. Pitch chuckled behind us, only to be muffled by Sandy placing a bind around his mouth.

"Well, it's brave of you for facing your fears to do your job" I said. Bunnymund visibly relaxed for a moment, shooting me a grateful look. I glanced back at Pitch, who seemed visibly disappointed. I wonder who he is to the mortal world.

"Alright, we will head to Pitch's old lair first" North announced, pulling out a snowglobe again, "Let's save the world before I have to make my rounds on Christmas Eve" As he said this, a large boom resounded through the island. We all turned to the source, and saw the border that surrounds the island starting to crack with each resounding boom. The Bermuda guardian appeared before me, his face full of panic.

"You need to leave now," he said, "I will hold him off for as long as I can, but I will disappear when the barrier is broken through. Stay safe."

"Why?" I said, shocked that he was even speaking to me and displaying emotion openly.

"It's okay, old friend, you'll remember one day," he replied, smiling fondly messing up my hair before flying off.

"Wait, you need to tell me about my past if you know something!" I shouted after him." he paused and smiled sadly at me.

"You will know soon enough, Ambrose" he said kindly before disappearing in a shimmering silver light. The barrier broke apart, revealing a dark figure with glowing yellow eyes.


End file.
